I Want To Do What Is Best For My Puppy - Am I Leaving Him Alone Too Mu

[Rosalie]

Hi guys, I was wondering if you could help me out with a problem I have.

About a month ago, I bought a puppy - he is now 10 weeks old (he is a mini foxie cross)

Unfortunately I did not know as much about dogs then as i do now, and I did not think it through very well.

My problem is that I will be going to work for 8 hours a day and he will be stuck in the laundry( (with toys and food and water).

I take him out in the mornings for and hour, then play with him a lot when I get home, however I am not sure if this is enough. When he gets his vaccinations I would like for him to go to doggy day care for two days a week while I am at work, however for the meantime I do not know if leaving him alone this long is harmful. I love him so much and i want what is best for him, so I have to consider if giving him away is the best option so he can get the attention he deserves. My parents will also not let him out of the laundry even when I am supervising at home, so when I am having dinner, on the computer etc he has to stay in there.

I feel so horrible for leaving him alone and I would appreciate everyones comments on what I should do. I know I deserve the bad comments for not thinking about this when I bought him, but now I just want what is best for him, and if that is giving him away, then I am prepared to do this.

Thank you

Edited August 12, 2010 by Rosalie

[persephone]

My parents will also not let him out of the laundry even when I am supervising at home, so when I am having dinner, on the computer etc he has to stay in there.

so- how many hours does this pup spend in the laundry each day (out of 24 ? )

is there no way you could build/buy a run so he can at least be outside ?

[TsarsMum]

hmm this is hard. did your mum and dad ok this pup?

sorry but i dont think this is fair on the pup spending 90% of the time locked up is not ok.

i think you need to either talk it out with mum and dad so pup is out more or giving this pup away and waiting til you are not at home to get another

Edited August 12, 2010 by dogluva101

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

does the puppy get any time outside the laundry?

if it does where does it go and how long is it out of the laundry?

[jessie86]

Can you get someone you know to visit him during the day and give him a chance to run outside and play? Also how do you feed him his lunch during the day?

It's very difficult I had to leave my pup for 2 hours the other day and felt sick, so i can understand what you are going through!

Good luck!

[aussielover]

My parents will also not let him out of the laundry even when I am supervising at home, so when I am having dinner, on the computer etc he has to stay in there

To be honest, this actually sounds like a good idea. i personally don't think it is a great idea having a puppy run around whilst you are eating dinner or sittting at a computer and not able to watch pup. It would be better if you could get him a crate that you could pop him into when you can't directly supervise, so he can still see you and be part of the action- just not under your feet or running around the house. This will really help with toilet training also. When you are at the computer, tie him up to your seat, that way he can still be with you and you can watch him

When pup can settle on his bed/mat when he is older, he will have earned the right to be "free" during mealtimes etc

8 hrs is pretty standard time for dogs to be left alone imo (i'm not saying it is ideal but many dogs learn to cope just fine)

Make sure he has lots of toys, kong, treat balls etc to keep him entertained.

Do you have a fenced backyard? It might be better to leave him outside, so he doesn't toilet inside and can have a sniff in the garden etc.

[persephone]

8 hrs is pretty standard time for dogs to be left alone

yes- but then there are the other hours when Rosalie also has to lock pup away - when she IS home - eating, sitting at her puter, showering.... sleeping..... there doesn't seem a lot of opportunity for her to be with her pupopy

[Red Fox]

Hi guys, I was wondering if you could help me out with a problem I have.

About a month ago, I bought a puppy - he is now 10 weeks old (he is a mini foxie cross)

Unfortunately I did not know as much about dogs then as i do now, and I did not think it through very well.

My problem is that I will be going to work for 8 hours a day and he will be stuck in the laundry( (with toys and food and water).

I take him out in the mornings for and hour, then play with him a lot when I get home, however I am not sure if this is enough. When he gets his vaccinations I would like for him to go to doggy day care for two days a week while I am at work, however for the meantime I do not know if leaving him alone this long is harmful. I love him so much and i want what is best for him, so I have to consider if giving him away is the best option so he can get the attention he deserves. My parents will also not let him out of the laundry even when I am supervising at home, so when I am having dinner, on the computer etc he has to stay in there.

I feel so horrible for leaving him alone and I would appreciate everyones comments on what I should do. I know I deserve the bad comments for not thinking about this when I bought him, but now I just want what is best for him, and if that is giving him away, then I am prepared to do this.

Thank you

Plenty of dogs spend all day home alone while their owners work and are fine. Provided the dogs needs are being met (physical excercise, mental stimulation/training, time with the family, socialisation, etc) it's really not an issue.

You'll also find that plenty of owners will crate/contain their puppy whenever they cannot directly supervise - this is not a bad thing at all.

BUT, my concerns would be

*How long is the puppy spending in the laundry each day?

*Who is feeding the puppy during the day? At his age he shoud be eating 3 meals per day.

*Toilet training. A little pup can't hold on for that long! Who is taking him out during the day?

*Does the puppy have anything to do in the laundry? ie toys, Kongs, treat balls?

If pup is spending 90% of his time locked in the laundry with nothing to do he will find ways to entertain himself that you probably wont appreciate..

[Adza]

You poor thing. I don't think I could personally do that and can understand why you feel terrible about it.

Is anyone home during the day? Otherwise, doggy day care seems a good idea, but depends if you think thats enough?

Or, what aussielover suggested, get a crate and have her in there while on the computer or having dinner etc so he isn't in the laundy all day. Also see if you can put up a dog/puppy fence outside to section off an area for her to explore and get some fresh air!

Hope it works out for you

[shells]

My concern is that you cant have him with you when you are home. He would be getting very little stimulation, socialisation, and activity locked in a small laundry 20 hours a day ( I chose 20 hours as if you are working 8, sleeping 8 and then showering, eating, travelling for another approximately 4 hours then thats how long the dog is locked up).

Whilst 8 hours alone would be standard "alone" time for alot of dogs most dogs would be with their humans as soon as they came home or out running around the yard being active.

By the sounds of it your parents wouldnt be keen on the crate idea which allows him to atleast be in the same room as you (but contained) and if that is the case then I would rehome - it isnt fair on your dog to be confined for so long.

[Gayle.]

We picked our newest puppy up on a Sunday afternoon, he was 8 weeks old, the following day he was locked in the front entrance and hallway of our house while we went to work. He had a crate filled with warm rugs, pillows and toys, a bowl of water and a bowl of kibble.

The first day my husband came home around lunchtime, after that he was on his own each day for around 10 hours.

Our front door is glass and the entrance is a hexagonal room with a bay-type window all around. He could see out to the front yard, and also into part of the backyard where the other dogs were.

Despite how badly I felt, he was fine. I'd often get home to find his toys scattered down the hallway and him fast asleep in his crate. He's now 4 months old and hasn't developed any neuroses or anxieties. He's big enough to be turfed out with the other dogs now, and like them, he sees our coming and going as a normal thing and the car is barely halway down the driveway in the mornings and they've turned their backs and are heading to do whatever it is they do once we've gone.

Start as you mean to go on. Settle the pup in the mornings, then leave. Don't make a fuss, don't talk babytalk to him as you go, just shut the door firmly and leave. He'll soon get the idea that this is normal and this is his routine.

The moment you start making a fuss or going back to check on him, or telling him how sorry you are you have to leave him alone, is when he'll start thinking it's a bad thing to be left and will start making a racket.

[shells]

I know people dont find the 8 hours a day at work a problem (I dont either) but most people seem to missing the fact her parents wont let the pup out of the laundry at all and I dont think this is going to change once the dog is grown.

Is it just me or do people really think it is ok to keep a dog confined to a laundry 20 hours a day? Is this the optimal way for a dog to spend its life? I really dont think so and thats why I urged her to rehome.

Edited August 14, 2010 by shells

[persephone]

I agree-

leaving a pup alone while at school/work is unavoidable in many families. leaving a pup locked away in a laundry when someone is home is sad, and the fact that Rosalie cannot be with her pup while she is doing normal things in the house is not good for her or her puppy.

[aussielover]

I know people dont find the 8 hours a day at work a problem but most people seem to missing the fact her parents wont let the pup out of the laundry at all and I dont think this is going to change once the dog is grown.

Is it just me or do people really think it is ok to keep a dog confined to a laundry 20 hours a day? Is this the optimal way for a dog to spend its life? I really dont think so and thats why I urged her to rehome.

NO i don't think it is ok to lock a puppy in the laundary for 20 hrs

I though it sounded more like, the puppy would be in the laundary while she couldn't supervise like at mealtimes or computer time etc. Which would only be for a total of maximum 2hrs (imo).

She did say she plays with puppy in the morning and for a few hrs in the evening

I hope she gets a crate though.

[aussielover]

ehh double post

Edited August 14, 2010 by aussielover

[persephone]

I though it sounded more like, the puppy would be in the laundary while she couldn't supervise like at mealtimes or computer time etc. Which would only be for a total of maximum 2hrs (imo).

Sadly it's much more than that.

My problem is that I will be going to work for 8 hours a day and he will be stuck in the laundry( (with toys and food and water).

I take him out in the mornings for and hour, then play with him a lot when I get home, however I am not sure if this is enough. When he gets his vaccinations I would like for him to go to doggy day care for two days a week while I am at work, however for the meantime I do not know if leaving him alone this long is harmful. I love him so much and i want what is best for him, so I have to consider if giving him away is the best option so he can get the attention he deserves. My parents will also not let him out of the laundry even when I am supervising at home, so when I am having dinner, on the computer etc he has to stay in there.

[minxy]

I think it's perfectly normal for a puppy to be alone while you're at work. I don't think it is completely unreasonable to confine it while it is still so young - provided it has plenty of fresh food and water, and toys etc to keep it occupied and stimulated. But when you come home, it really does need to have company and exercise. Can it not be allowed in the yard during the day??

[all that glitters]

Having the puppy in the laundry when eating dinner or on the computer would be fine IF it wasn't already in the laundry 8hrs a day while your at work. It's definitely too much for the little bugger, tell your parents dogs are family members, not rabbits in hutches! They need to be with you

Good on you for feeling for the little one, I would also feel horrible. See how your parents are if you talk to them about it, with training the pup will grow into a GOOD adult dog and won't be a hassle to have around the house at all. Tell them that the toilet training and other annoying things right now will be a thing of the past in several months... maybe they see the puppy as annoying cos of the little puppy things we have to put up with (poo and pee inside, biting, being a hassle etc) but tell them when they mature they are more than not annoying (if trained to behave! )

[poodlefan]

Are you saying that he's not allowed out of the laundry when you are home unless he is outside with you?

If that's the case, then yes, Rosalie you are leaving the pup alone too much. He's a living animal, not a doll to be taken out, played with and put away again. He's not going to learn toilet training, or how to interact with people if he spends the overwhelming amount of his time in a room that's basically a prison. Do you have a secure back yard?

Rehome him now. Surrender him to a decent rescue and learn from this experience. No responsible breeder would sell a six week old pup, let alone into a situation like this. As he grows, he's going to get mighty frustrated and bored and frankly if he's confined as much as it seems he is, he'll have very little muscle development and an ingrained habit of toileting where he sleeps and eats.

Not good.

Edited August 17, 2010 by poodlefan

[persephone]

Hey, Rosalie- how are things now? Have you managed to make any changes , or maybe talk your parents into anything new?